Orthodontic devices



United States Patent O 3,512,257 ORTHODONTIC DEVICES John J. Stifter, 33084 Lake Road, Avon Lake, Ohio 44012 Filed Aug. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 662,438

^ Int. Cl. A61c 7/00 U.S. Cl. 32-14 7 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE There is disclosed herein means for applying traction tothe arch band of an orthodontic appliance comprising a resilient strap having sp-aced apertures therein, the distance between adjacent of said apertures representing a predetermined increment lof. traction when`the strap is stretched such distance.

This invention relates to orthodontic devices and particularly relates to strap means forapplying traction to an orthodontic arch'band. A' k In devices of the type referred tofwhich are presently being used, head gear or s trapsare provided which are adjustable to afford lthe proper'tension upon the arch band..'I `h e operator of the device mustrely upon his experience rto determine the proper tension to be used thereby making it diicult for the orthodontistzto be certain that the patient is using the device properly and can be relied upon to apply the optimum Ytraction as required. The primary object of the present invention is to prol. vide an orthodontic device comprising a cervicalgor neckv strap for applying traction to amaxillaty or mandibular arch; .bandwhich can beused bythe patient to apply a predetermined traction to said arch lband without needfor adjusting the'strap'. Q f,

.',Anot'her object ofthe invention is toprovide a device o f 'the4v ltype referredto havingan elastic tension Vstrap provided with .falfserie's of spaced apertures for attaching facer bows thereto wherein fthe distance between adjacent aperturesre.presents a known, predetermined increment ofpre'ssureA to be applied to the arch'band. Stillianother object of the invention is to provide an orthodontic devicefhaving the `features as set forth above wherein a portion of the cervical s t-r-ap attached to one face bow is adapted to apply greater or lesser traction than another portion-.of the .strap ,connectedV to the otherface bow. K f

anotherobject Vof the invention, isv to provide an orthodontic device of the above type which can be reliably usedbythepatientfor effecting the desired .tractionto the 'achbandt' i -il n1 i A V.further objectof .the invention -is' to vprovide `an orthodontic device'ofthe foregoing. typewhich is simple and'un'cor'nplicate'd in construction, composed of parts, vlandhighly durable, and reliable in use.

O hcr .objects v'of the invention and` the invention itself reajilyunderstoodfrom the following description inve 'ion andi-the accompanyingdrawings,rin which said'drawinigs: u FIG. 1 isqaleft-hand sidev viewaofapatients head showing themanner inr which the orthodonticdevice of f FIG. 2 .i-s;a perspective view of the: orthodontic device ofthis invention as generally viewed from thel front and 1eftside-there0f;

.. FIG. 3. is a .perspective view ,of Vthe or tho .dontic device Of'this invention asgenerally seenfronithe rear andlright sfideftlereofr; L Y

"FIG'4` is an enlarged, fragmentary detail vshowinga portion of the strap in plan View;

FIG. `5 isa section taken generally alon'g'the line 5-S of FIG. 2; and

ice

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 3 showing another form of the orthodontic device of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings in all of which like parts are designated by like reference numerals, the orthodontic device of this invention is generally shown at 10 and comprises an elastic str-ap 12 having a plurality of evenly spaced apertures 14 therein. Intermediate the ends of the strap 12, there is provided a neck pad 16 havin-g a plurality of retainer loops 18 on its rear surface through which the strap 12 is threaded. The distal ends of the strap 12 on either side of the neck pad 16 are provided with S-shaped hooks or face bows 20 which have oppositely and backwardly turned, substantially similar hooked end portions 22 and 24. The hooked end portions 22 turn outwardly and engage the endmost apertures 14 at either end of the elastic strap 12 whereas the hooked end portions 24 are turned inwardly and are adapted to engage an arch band or other dental appliances of any suitable type (not herein illustrated) disposed within the patients mouth. It will be understood that the face bows 20 may be of any suitable form or length and that the same may be curved or otherwise shaped to t the contour of the patients face and to make the appliance more comfortable to wear.

The orthodontic device 10 is worn by a patient in the manner shown in FIG. 1 vwherein the neck pad 16 is disposed at the back of the neck and the ends of the strap 12 and the associated face bows 20 project forwardly adjacent to the cheeks of said patient.

The strap 12 is preferably made of rubber or other suitabley resilient material adapted to apply a predetermined amount of tension for any given amount of elongation of the strap. This factor would be known by the orthodontist and is used in the following manner: each aperture 14 is spaced from an adjacent aperture such distance as to -aiford a predetermined increment of pressure when the strap is stretched the distance X between said two adjacent holes (FIG. 4) The orthodontist knows what these increments of pressure are and can, therefore, utilize the strap to apply a predetermined traction to the arch band. By simple instructions to the patient, the doctor can also be certain that the proper traction is applied even when the strap is manipulated by the patient himself.

In use of the device of this invention, the orthodontist may simply cut the strap 12 whereby the endmost aperture 14 represents the desired vtension point. In this manner, the patient can apply exactly-the amount Vof pressure needed which has. been determined ahead of time by the orthodontist. No further adjustment of the s trap is needed, and the doctor isgassured that. the proper ytension is being used at all time s.. ,4 v

FIG. 6 shows a modified orthodontic device 10 Vwhich diiers from the device 10 inthat the strap thereof shown at 2 6 comprises two parts: a strap portion 2 8 and a strap portion 30 connected together'any'suitable manner such' as by rivets 32J`The device 10' ispreferably provided with a' suitable. neck pad 1 6, `show n" in broken lines in FIG. 6, and the"distal ends ofthe strap portions 28 and 30 'are provided'with the'v face bows'20 in the same' manner as that shown in the first embodiment. As herein illustrated, the strap portion'28 is the longer of the two strap portions and is provided with a plurality of evenly spaced apertures .34. similarA to the apertures 14 of the device 10. The strap portion l30 -is. relatively shorter and is .provided with suitable lspaced apertures. 36 which are-alsosimilar to the apertures 14.- In the form of the inventionV illustrated, the strap portion 28 iso'f such material asfto `have a greater modulus of elasticity thanthe smaller strap portion 30,However, a similar affect can be obtained by making the straps of the lsarnematerial and having one strap thinner or narrower thanthe other whereby it stretches more easily. In the form shown in FIG. 6, the

result is that a greater pult is effected on the left side of the patients face and, consequently, on the left side of the arch band than on the right side thereof. The Astrap 26 and the pad lpress against the back and sides of the patients neck as illustrated in FIG, 1 with suflicient frictional contact to preventlthe traction on both sides of the arch band from equalizing thereby creating the effect of pulling the arch band more on one side than on the other. =If desired, the strap portion 28 may be completely nonr'esilient whereby one face bow 20'and saidVY strap portion 28 merely serveYV as anchor means eiecting little pull on the left side of the arch band while the strap portion 30 effects a predetermined traction on the right side of said arch bandfT he device is used in the same manner as that set forth in the foregoing description, the orthodontist carefully cutting the distal end portions of the strap portions 28 and 3# to the proper length and then instructing the patient aszto which aperture is to be used to effect a predeterminedY tension upon one or both sides of the dental appliance. f

From the foregoing it willV be seen Ythat the present invention provides a simple uncomplicated orthodontic device for effecting traction of a predeterminedY amount at one or both sidesof the arch band of an orthodontic y applianceThe patient is afforded simple means of prop erly applying the correct amount of tension as prescribed by the doctor without making adjustments to the strap portion in any manner. The strap 12 and the strap portions 28 and 30 can be made in continuous lengths whereby the orthodontist can readily fashion or construct an orthodontic device according to the present invention to suit the particular traction needs of the patient. The result is that both the doctor and the patient are assured at all times that the proper traction is being appied to the teeth according to that prescribed by the doctor. Y

I claim: l c

1. An orthodontic device for applying a known, predetermined traction to an orthodontic appliance comprising a strap adapted toY engage the back of the neck and having distali end portions projecting forwardly along the sides of the face; at least one of said portions of said strap comprising resilient material having a known mod; ulus of elasticity whereby it is adapted to apply a predetermined amount of tension for a given amount of elongation of said portion; a pair of connector means carried by said distal end portions having means for engaging the orthodontic appliance; at least said one portion having connector receiver means for engaging one of said connector means at spaced intervals along said portion the space between adjacent of said receiver means representing a known, predetermined increment of traction when said strap is stretched said distance whereby an orthodontist can prescribe a known, predetermined traction to be applied to said orthodontic appliance by prescribing the use of a selected one of said receiverv j,

means.

2. An orthodontic device as set forth in claim 1; said strap being made of a single strip of flat resilient material; said receiver means comprising means defining a plurality of apertures uniformly spaced along said strap; each said connector means having a hook shaped end portion for engaging said apertures at one end thereof and means for engaging the orthodontic appliance at the opposite end thereof.

3. An orthodontic device as set forth in claim 2; -a neck pad carried by said strap intermediate the end portions thereof, said pad adapted to be wornat the back of the neck. Y

4. An orthodontic device as set forth in claim 1; said strapy comprising two strap portions each having a dif- 4 ferent, known modulus of elasticity; means connecting said portions together to form one continuous strap; said receiver means comprising' means defining a plurality of apertures' uniformly spaced along each said strap portion; each said connector meansYY having a hook shaped end portion for engaging said apertures at one end thereof and means for engaging the orthodontic appliance at the opposite end thereof whereby a different traction can be applied to one side of said appliance than to the other side thereof. l i

5. An orthodontic device as set forth in claim. 4; one of said strap portions being longer than the other'whereby said longer portionV substantially engages one side of the face and the back of the neck and said othen portion extends substantially only along the other side of the face. f

6 Cervical strap means for use in applying a known, predetermined tractiengto orthodontic appliance means, said strap means comprising a vlength of elongated resilient material having a known: modulusV of elasticity whereby it is adapted to apply a predetermined amount of tensien for a given amount of elongation of said strap, said strap mean-s adapted to engage the back of the neck and yhaving distal end portions projecting forwardly along the .sides of the face; means defining aplurality of apertures for engaging the appliance means uniformly spaced along said strap means, the distance between adjacent of said apertures representing a predetermined increment of traction when said strap means isstretched said distance whereby an orthodontist can prescribe a fixed, predetermined traction to be applied to said appliance means by cutting said strapV means adjacent toan aperture representing the prescribed, tractionY and instructing the patient which aperture to use for attaching the end portions of-*said strap means to'the appliance means.

7. Cervicalstrap means for use in applying known, predetermined traction to orthodontic appliance means, said strap meanscomprising two lengths of elongated material havingdifferent, known moduli of elasticity wherei by they are adapted to apply predetermined amounts of tension forgiven amounts of velongation thereof;v means connecting the ends of said lengths together to provide a lstrap means'adapted to engage Athe back of the neck and having distal endy portions projecting forwardly along the sides of thetface; means defininga plurality of apertures for engaging theappliance means uniformly spaced along said strap means, the distance between adjacent of said apertures representing a predetermined increment of traction for each said length when said length is stretched `said distance whereby anV orthodontist can prescribe a fixed, predetermined tractionto be applied to either lside of the appliance means by cutting said lengths adjacent to anaperture representing the prescribed traction and instructing the patient which aperture to use for attaching endportions of `said st-rap'meansto the appliance means.

vReferencesV Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1959 woskin t 32-,14 2,983,046 s/1961 Jenkinsi 32,-14 3031245v v4/1963 1 Asher -t p 32-14 [3,203,099jj 8/1965 Internaat 32,-14

OTHER REFERENCES Vol48, No. 11. l

lESHOCK, Primary Examiner I '3 

